Shellfino
by General Luigi
Summary: Mario is dead. Luigi has been branded as a traitor to the Mushroom Kingdom and now lives in the Koopa Kingdom. A great darkness lurks in the conflict between the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms, and that darkness will soon be unleashed upon the world.
1. Chapter 1: Resolution

**Shellfino**

By General Luigi**  
**

**Author's Notes **

A fair warning: If you do not want this story's ending to be spoiled, I would recommend not reading The Country Lady.

**Foreword**

It is the year 1885. Mario had been sent on a mission into the Koopa Kingdom a year earlier in an attempt to stop the satellite, Solar Shell 1, from being launched. The mission was kept secret from the public, but something unexpected happened—Mario died. That was something that could not be kept secret for long, so King Jacob of the Mushroom Kingdom leaked the lie that Mario had been ambushed and killed by assassins that Bowser had hired. Soon after, Koopa-phobia swept the Kingdom; anyone of Koopa Kingdom heritage was a potential enemy. Luigi, however, learned the truth about Mario's death from one of the three survivors of the mission, Marina Mushzek. When King Jacob received word of Luigi's attempts to expose the truth, which would indirectly be seditious and a threat to the Toadstool dynasty, he branded Luigi as a Koopa sympathizer. Now hated by his home country, Luigi fled from persecution across the Mushroom-Koopa border with a number of Koopa immigrants who also hoped to avoid Mushroom persecution.

When he learned that King Jacob was pushing for war, Luigi hatched a plan with King Bowser to prevent the Mushroom Kingdom from doing so: kidnap Princess Peach and threaten to kill her unless the Mushroom Kingdom backed off. The plan worked, and both Kingdoms are now safe, even though they despise each other. There is a downside, though—Luigi is unlikely to ever return to the Mushroom Kingdom thanks to his plan.

Now, Luigi has little choice but to live somewhere outside of the Mushroom Kingdom. At King Bowser's invitation, he intends to settle somewhere in the Koopa Kingdom.

**Chapter 1—Resolution**

A small town in the Shellratov district was more than suitable. Had he stayed in the Mushroom Kingdom, Luigi would have certainly been either killed or tortured. Besides, after the death of his brother, Luigi despised King Jacob. His visit to Koopa City, the capital, proved to him just how immensely powerful the Koopa Kingdom was. The wall covering the border of the capital's district was proof of the Koopa Kingdom's military prowess. The Wall of Koopva was the largest structure in the world, surrounding the entire district. Fortunately, Shellfino was hardly a target, so such an immense wall was not required for the town's protection.

Luigi was being given a walking tour of the town. The town was so small that a vehicle was not even necessary unless one was going out of town. From one end to the other, it was just a forty-minute bicycle ride. It was a little odd seeing everyone drive on the left, but he figured he would get used to it. He had been a tad disappointed that the only lots available were so small, but he figured that it might have actually been for the better. One could not possibly be a snob in such a modest town.

The roads were quite narrow; there were only two that exceeded one lane on each side, one of which was a small highway. Luigi would be staying in a flat until he had chosen a house, which meant that much of his stuff would be stored for a long time. According to his guide, the landlord was a very kind old Koopa, although one who has strict policies. Oddly enough, he had been everywhere in town except his flat. The town had a very nice and simple layout, with a train depot in the middle of the commercial district (which was just three blocks by four), flats occupying the surrounding blocks, followed by the second ring which consisted of quaint little lots with yards about three times the area of the houses, a third ring, comprised of pastures for livestock, finishing with the crop fields on the outskirts. After those were just the steppes. The weather at the time was just the slightest bit hot and dry with a heat index around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Luigi would have to get used to the metric system, which meant using Celsius, kilometers, liters, and kilograms.

"Fis woold be fe market," Luigi's guide, Yakov, said. "Please make sure to remember its location." Yakov was a very shiny yellow Bob-Omb with a Koopsian accent, but he spoke excellent English. Luigi had been told many times that it would be wise for him to learn Koopsian. "Fe depot is right over fere," Yakov said, pointing with his fuse at a small black brick building. It was initially hard for Luigi to understand Yakov's accent, but when he was told that Koopsian had no "th" sound, he began to understand better. English was quite dependent on the "th" sound, so it soon no longer came as a surprise that most Koopas used a "f" sound instead, "f" being the closest to "th". "Now, if you will follow me, your flat is right over fere," Yakov said, pointing to a three-story building that looked to Luigi somewhat like a roadside motel in the Mushroom Kingdom. Yakov then handed Luigi a map of the town. "Just in case you need it," he said. "Unlyess fere is somefin else you would like to see, I believe fis is where we part."

"No, I'm fine," Luigi said. "Thank you for the tour, Yakov."

"You are welcahme, Luigi. I look forward to getting to know you better."

"Same here."

Luigi entered the building, where he was greeted by a Toadette, a Buzzy Beetle, and a very old Koopa who were all sitting at a wooden table. The Toadette got up and curtsied upon seeing Luigi.

"You Luigi, yes?" the Koopa said. "I Dimitry, she Yelizaveta, he Luka. Yelizaveta and Luka no talk English."

"Then I'll learn Koopsian as soon as possible," Luigi said.

Dimitry said something in Koopsian to Yelizaveta, then said to Luigi, "She show you place."

"Very well." Luigi looked around the lobby, which was hardly a lobby. Rather, it was a single room with a front desk, a bunch of dining tables, and a pair of doors—one to the kitchen, the other the main door. The place was far from ramshackle and was quite well-kept, but Luigi could tell the place was more so for those who needed a home rather than those who wanted a home. The so-called Kato Reforms had been a gift from the Stars in the opinion of the poor and the homeless. The complex was quite obviously the result of such reforms. Shellfino seemed like a poor town by Mushroom standards, but the people seemed quite satisfied—they did not want to be rich; they simply wanted to enjoy their lives.

Yelizaveta herself was somewhat skinny, but far from gaunt. She had a pair of moss-green squares on her cap, matching her hair, which was tied back in a tight bun. Her simple buttoned-shirt-and-knee-length-skirt work uniform added to the simplicity that seemed to be the standard for people in Shellfino. For someone who seemed only three feet tall, she was a rather fast walker, often having to stop so Luigi could catch up.

Luigi was led up three flights of stairs until Yelizaveta opened a door and led Luigi down a hallway to a door with the number "317" on it. She motioned for him to enter what Luigi took to be his flat. The flat caught him off-guard, to say the least. All he saw was a single bed in a corner, a telephone on the side table, a small wardrobe, a small kitchen at the next corner with a wooden table near it and four chairs, with the corner opposite the bed cut off by the walls of what Luigi concluded must have been the bathroom, and finally, a small couch with a coffee table faced a tiny television that stood on a second side table. The flat looked about the size of a portable classroom—in fact, Luigi felt that his old bedroom in his mansion in the Mushroom Kingdom was more than three times the size of his entire flat. With a sigh, Luigi entered and inspected the room more closely. Looking at the television, he noticed a very well-done painting of a black-haired Koopa in a robe hanging above it. Taking a look at the label, he noticed that it was in Koopsian.

Екатерина Великодушная

Иван Крамскуп

He would have to ask Dimitry about the painting at some point. The flat was not ugly, but the small size of it made Luigi wonder if he had a previously unnoticed case of claustrophobia. No matter; he was safe and was going to settle down.

* * *

The past month had been tedious, learning Koopsian and finding a permanent home at the same time. Luigi's Koopsian was more broken than the Royal Bell in Koopva, but he had learned enough to say, "I am bad at speaking Koopsian." In fact, that was the first thing he was taught. Usually, Luigi would bring Yakov along whenever he needed to do something requiring fluent Koopsian. 

When Luigi asked about the picture in his flat, Dimitry said that it was of Yekaterina, Bowser's wife, who had died of tuberculosis when she was only thirty-nine. Yekaterina essentially ruled alongside Bowser as a joint ruler. She was much loved by the people, as the painting in Luigi's flat confirmed. According to Yakov, "Екатерина Великодушная" translated into "Yekaterina the Magnanimous". She was not technically the ruler, but Bowser himself was quoted as saying she was more fit for the throne than he was. Luigi would have to remember to ask Bowser about her at some point.

Luigi was doing something he had almost never found the time for earlier—studying Thunderhand. Because of his recent adventures (some with Mario, some without), Luigi had had little time to actually refine his Thunderhand skills. After reading just a tiny portion of one of the spellbooks he had, he noticed something. Having learned that Thunderhand was not the only type of magic, Luigi had purchased a number of magic theory books. In particular, the _Introduction to Magic_ book gave him an increased interest in magic.

_Magic consists of four different forms: Star Magic, Ztar Magic, Firebrand, and Thunderhand. More generally, though, the magic forms can be classified in two ways: Light and Dark, or Physical and Mental._

_Light Magic comprises Firebrand and Star Magic, two styles that, while easy to control and far less tempting to abuse, suffer from a lower amount of unique possibilities than their Dark counterparts. Light Magic is a style that focuses on the basic abilities of magic. There are some abilities that can be misused, such as Firebrand's ability to command the air and Star Magic's ability to alter light, but Light Magic is more so an offensive tool. Light magic will strike in plain sight, not trying to sneak around the target's magic defense or manipulate it._

_Dark Magic, which comprises Thunderhand and Ztar magic, is far more powerful in the hands of an expert and is far more tempting to misuse. Also, in specific surroundings, it becomes harder to control. Rather than strike in a basic way, Thunderhand and Ztar magic will depend on controlling the target. Control of a living thing is an extremely tempting power and must be handled as though it were an extremely dangerous machine that could easily kill the user. Thunderhand can use electricity to manipulate anything that conducts electricity (which, technically, is everything that is not composed of pure neutrons). As for Ztar magic, it directly attacks the enemy's mind, reading and altering emotions, thoughts, and essentially the very soul itself. For these reasons (as well as religious reasons), Ztar magic has been outlawed in the Mushroom Kingdom._

_Mental Magic depends on the mind for strength. Star Magic uses calmness of mind for its power while Ztar Magic uses emotions for power. Since emotions are infinite while calmness is not, Ztar Magic has that much more potential, even though its base power is the same as that of Star Magic. In the presence of other minds, the magic will respond in kind. Amid calm minds, Star Magic and Ztar Magic are both able to be used more easily and powerfully. As for a highly emotional setting, Star Magic becomes weaker while Ztar Magic becomes harder to control._

_Physical Magic, on the other hand, depends on it s physical surroundings for power. Thunderhand draws power from every free electron and proton, enabling it to use the sheer existence of matter for power. Firebrand, though, relies on heat and the absence of heat for power. Thunderhand is much more powerful and harder to control amid other electric reactions, while Firebrand is stronger in two situations. In extreme cold, hot Firebrand is weaker while cold Firebrand (also referred to by some as Icebrand) is stronger. In extreme heat, the roles are reversed._

_Contrary to popular belief, Star Magic and Ztar Magic are not opposites, as is also the case with Thunderhand and Firebrand. Rather, magic is arranged in the form of a three-by-three square, as is shown in the below diagram._

Luigi looked at the diagram, which had Star Magic in the top-middle square, neighbored by Mental Magic to the left and Light Magic to the right. Below Light Magic was Firebrand with Physical Magic below it. In the middle of the bottom row was Thunderhand, the opposite of Star Magic, which had Dark Magic to the left. Finally, on the left side of the middle row was Ztar Magic, the opposite of Firebrand.

_Much of magic theory depends on the Magic Chart as a base, as will be established repeatedly throughout the text.  
_

* * *

Author's Notes: For those of you who have read _The Country Lady_, some of the events in that story will also occur in here, but not for some time.  



	2. Chapter 2: A Captive Guest

**Chapter 2—A Captive Guest**

Luigi was very glad that when Bowser was the enemy, he had kept Peach in his mobile castle. This time, though, she was in a more secure place: the Koopagrad Kooparemlin. Luigi looked out the train window—still no wall in sight. The Koopa Kingdom capital, Купаград, or Koopagrad, which translated into "Koopa City", was said to be the most well-defended city in the world. For one thing, the entire district—Koopva—had a border that was defined by a gigantic wall that was rumored to be visible from space. Plenty of nations had their giant walls, but the Wall of Koopva was so large and required so much stone and metal that the end result was Franz Valley, a hard stone depression in a neighboring district that was once part of a mountain range. Entire mountains had been taken apart and millions of workers had died as a result of King Franz's plan to build a wall around Koopva. Shortly after King Richard inherited the throne, the Wall of Koopva, the largest structure in the world, was completed, 370 years after construction began in the year 840. Ever since the Wall's completion in 1210, Koopva's defenses were almost literally impenetrable; no one had ever managed to breach the wall. Technically, Bowser had broken through, but he did not go through the wall; he used the tunnel networks (as well as his many supporters in Koopva) to get past the defenses. The Koopa Revolution was an odd exception that even Bowser did not count as an actual breaching of the Wall of Koopva.

"I fink I see it," Yakov said. Yakov had never been anywhere near Koopva, so being asked to accompany Luigi into the capital was a great opportunity in his case. Luigi looked out the window and saw a constant line in the distance, getting bigger just the slightest bit as the train drew closer.

"No point in watching it; it's pretty big," Luigi said, "so if it looks that small right now, it'll be a while before we reach the wall."

Luigi went back to doing the Koopsian worksheets Yakov had designed. His Koopsian was still awful; the language was quite different from English. Of course, that was why he had asked Yakov to come along. The largest city Yakov had ever been to was Shellratov, which was about half the size of Mushroom City, the largest city in the Mushroom Kingdom, despite not being a port city or a local capital. Koopagrad, though, was the second largest city in the world, second in population only to Shy Guy City. Koopagrad's biggest claim to fame, though, was its reputation as an impregnable city. Simply reaching the wall was a challenge, considering the difficult terrain surrounding the region and the merciless winters, but there was also the task of breaking through a 100-meter-thick wall with monstrous cannons and other weapons on the battlements, and even in the unlikely event of breaching the wall, the entire country boasted a military tunnel network that allowed troops to appear at seemingly random locations. Also present was the fact that Koopagrad itself boasted a network of thick walls, which had train-tanks on regular patrols on top, where railroad tracks had been placed to enable the quick transport of troops and firepower from place to place in the capital. Even after all that, there was the issue of breaking through another mighty wall: the Kooparemlin Wall, which had the added benefit of guarding the largest concentration of weapons and soldiers in the world. No wonder Bowser laughed so heartily when Luigi said King Jacob seemed to be pushing for open war; only someone with a death wish would try to capture Koopagrad.

Something in Koopsian came in over the speakers. Luigi looked to Yakov for a translation.

"Get all your stuff out; we're going to be searched for identification and any potentially harmful items."

Luigi started to unpack his things: clothes, a few spellbooks, some books, and his Horror DS, a rather impressive device invented by Professor Gadd. He looked out the window again and saw the wall drawing closer. The wall had been the cause of much suffering during its construction; millions of people died from starvation or exhaustion. Considering how gigantic the wall was now that it was completed, Luigi could understand just how much pain it took to build it. Every major Koopa Kingdom capital had a thick wall surrounding it, but Koopagrad itself had probably killed as many people as the wall now protected. That was one way to look at the wall: Queen Yekaterina's way. Most, though, viewed it as the best example of the Koopa Kingdom's superior defense. No nation—not even the Shy Guy Republic—was as well-defended as the Koopa Kingdom. The main advantage was the extensive land area, but the Kingdom itself was a natural fortress in most regions. The Koopyevan Valley was not a good place defense-wise, but the Kingdom had compensated through the use of the military tunnels. Even the gigantic King tank, one of the largest land vehicles in the world, could fit in a tunnel. The system extended everywhere, including Shellberia, a place very unlikely to be invaded unless Iced Land decided to go over the northern ice cap.

King Jacob was an idiot to try to start a war with the Koopa Kingdom; he could not possibly win. Even if he wrought a lot of havoc, his army would ultimately lose. Koopva was virtually impenetrable, and the Kingdom's tunnel networks enabled even occupied territory to be seemingly spontaneously invaded. Luigi remembered all of that information from when he had spoken with Bowser about King Jacob's intentions.

A Kooprichnik came in and said something in Koopsian.

"I have everything unpacked," Luigi said, which Yakov translated for the Kooprichnik. The Kooprichnik looked through Luigi's stuff, eventually moving on to Yakov's stuff. With the exception of Yakov, there were no explosives. Of course, there were plenty of Bob-Ombs in Koopagrad, and they were expected to behave themselves.

The Kooprichnik asked something in Koopsian after picking up Luigi's Horror DS.

"What does vis fing do?" Yakov translated.

Luigi demonstrated the functions. The Horror DS was a much better device than the Game Boy Horror or the Mailbox SP. While it mainly served as a visual and auditory communicator, it also received e-mail and had access to an informational database on many objects, people, places, and events. Professor Gadd had also included a warp function that enabled certain objects to be warped from one place to another. Due to some sort of technological condition that would take months to explain, living things could not be warped unless dead. Despite Luigi's complaints, the Kooprichnik insisted on disabling the warp function on the grounds that it might warp weapons in. It was agreed that a password—not revealed to Luigi—would be chosen by the Kooprichnik and sent to King Bowser. When Luigi left Koopva, the warp function would be enabled again. The grounds for doing so were certainly annoying, but it made a lot more sense than the extensive security at Mushroom Kingdom airports that was clearly geared toward Ztarists.

After approving all of Yakov's items for entering Koopva, the Kooprichnik left the cabin, leaving Luigi to put all his stuff back.

"What's the difference between a Koopatrol and a Kooprichnik?" Luigi asked Yakov.

"Kooprichniks are police; Koopatrols are military."

"Is that the only difference?"

"Kooprichniks are a special division of police commanded directly by King Bowser; vey're a much more serious freat to criminals fan ordinary officers."

"Well, I hope I never end up fighting one. From what Mario had said about Koopatrols, I'm guessing they're not anyone to be messed with, either."

"You would not want to mess wiv eiver type."

The train stopped at the wall since the guards had failed to clear everyone in the time it normally took. Luigi could not help but feel somewhat responsible, considering how long he had argued with the Kooprichnik. Yakov looked out the window and was astonished by how tall the wall was.

"Oh, my Stars!" he exclaimed. "No wonder Koopva is said to be impenetrable!"

"From what I've read," Luigi started, "the wall's 160 meters tall at the top battlements, and 300 meters tall at the top of each tower. Also, at the bottom, it's 100 meters thick. Most countries don't even boast skyscrapers that tall."

"What's a skyscraper?"

"You don't know?"

"No; I'm not familiar with ve term in English. Maybe vere's a word in Koopsian vat means ve same fing."

"Well, a skyscraper is an extremely tall building. I'm not sure if there's a minimum height for it to be called a skyscraper, but there are some pretty big ones out there. In fact, the ones more than 300 meters tall are referred to as supertall skyscrapers. Of course, I just call them superskyscrapers."

"Like ve Koopa Tower?"

"Eh?"

"Ve tallest building in ve world; it's in Pryeshellnya."

"Where's that?"

"I only know vat because I looked up ve records for tallest buildings as a child; I have no clue where Pryeshellnya is, vough. Anyway, ve Koopa Tower is still ve tallest in ve world at 600 meters. Of course, some tower in Desert Hill might change vat; vey're saying it might even reach a kilometer in height!"

Luigi laughed. "I'd believe it; people seem obsessed with holding some record. Oh, well. Considering that terrorist group that's becoming a problem there, I imagine it'll be attacked at some point. A while ago, the Mushroom Tower of Commerce was destroyed when a plane flew into it."

"And King Jacob wouldn't shut his racist mouf about it!"

"You don't need to tell me. That event was probably the best thing to happen to him. Now, whenever his approval goes down, he just says that he is the one who will end terrorism and reveals some new evidence and a new enemy. Sarasaland's got most of the hate these days, and the Mushroomers would have gotten wise to his lies, but Mario's death made him popular again once he started pushing for war with the Koopa Kingdom. What an idiot. As if the Wall of Koopva isn't proof enough that he'll never win."

"I agree. No one could possibly break frough vis!"

The train started up again, going through a tunnel that led through the wall that quickly closed up after the train had gone out the other end. On the other side was mostly farmland, but Luigi could see the Triple Fire, a trio of volcanoes surrounding Koopagrad, in the distance. Mount Zvyezda had been erupting for almost ninety years, essentially just sending a steady river of lava down an already-planned aqueduct that prevented lava flows from destroying the city. Surely such an ingenious invention took a long time to build. Most Mushroomers were unwilling to devote so much time and money to a project like that simply on the grounds that they would be dead before they reaped the results. No wonder the Mushroom Kingdom had so little to boast for her defense.

When the train stopped in Koopagrad, Luigi followed a guide that Bowser had sent to lead him to the Kooparemlin. The subway he and Yakov took occasionally went aboveground, enabling him to see the sights. For a while, the train ran out in the open near the edge of the wall of a lava river. The train came alongside an expressway that went through an immense pack of fabulous buildings.

"Vere it is!" Yakov exclaimed in glee. "Ve Koopa Tower!" Luigi looked out the window and saw a red-painted tower that slanted inside as it went higher. On one side was an immense metal support that most likely doubled as a communications antenna. Of course, the buildings near it were just as astonishing. A three-tower structure also caught Luigi's eye, as well as an immense group of four black towers, connected by bridges that were shaped somewhat like Koopa shells. They must have been going through Pryeshellnya at the moment.

Luigi still preferred the countryside due to the lack of rush the city had, but Koopagrad was still an amazing city. A large number of Mushroomers favored urban areas, and Luigi could see why. The thought of being surrounded by tall buildings and incredible commerce would be quite attractive at first, but the city also had plenty of weak points, including crime, traffic, pollution, and crowding. There was no doubt that the city had its disadvantages, all of which Luigi abhorred.

The Kooparemlin was also quite a sight. The train stopped at a station outside of its walls and let Luigi, Yakov, and the guide off. There, they were taken through gigantic gates that led under a thick wall—twenty-five meters at the base, to be exact—that led inside the vast complex that housed the Royal Testuduma, the High Command, the Royal Clergy, as well as King Bowser himself and his family—as well as the Kingdom's hostage: Princess Peach.

It was ironic that Luigi was now on the side of the nation he had been raised to hate. In Mushroom Kingdom schools, King Bowser is presented to students as a villainous dictator who stole land from countless tycoons and gave it to even the most unfit people, such as homeless thieves and other criminals. The schools also taught about how he invaded the Mushroom Kingdom and forced Queen Nadezhda to agree to a treaty that turned over all of the Kingdom's new land to the Koopa Kingdom.

The truth, though, was that the poor who gained land resorted to crime because their rich employers did not pay them enough to live off of. Also, the Koopa Kingdom invasion was in response to King Edward's invasion of the Koopa Kingdom. The "new land" under Mushroom control had been stolen from the Koopa Kingdom and was the site of many a massacre. When Mario's own death from frostbite was portrayed as a murder at the hands of Koopa assassins, Luigi saw for himself how King Jacob had been manipulating the people. Now, the only thing keeping Jacob from invading and reliving the days of King Edward's war was the fact that his only daughter was in Koopa custody.

Luigi and Yakov were led into the foyer of the Royal Palace, where Bowser was waiting. Luigi bowed calmly, but Yakov literally exploded from nervousness. Bowser let out the same hearty laugh Luigi remembered from the first time he had visited the Kooparemlin. Luigi also could not stop himself from laughing.

"Who's your friend?" Bowser asked Luigi.

"His name's Yakov; until I'm good at speaking Koopsian, he serves as my translator."

"Well, I was just about to visit Princess Peach."

"How's she faring?"

"She's still pouting about her capture. I don't see why; with the exception of the guards, she's living in almost total freedom and luxury."

"Is that so?"

"Do you really think I would give anything less to a guest in my own Royal Apartments? The word 'prisoner' could hardly be used to refer to her."

"Will I need Yakov?"

"Not now; I'm just as good with Koopsian. I never told you, but Kato and I spoke Koopsian when it was just the two of us."

"Why?"

"If you had heard how thick her accent was when she spoke English, you'd understand. I can speak fluent Koopsian, but Kato… accents were one of her few weaknesses."

"Kato was your wife, right?"

"Yes. In fact, the Kato Reforms were named after her."

Bowser said something in Koopsian to the guards at the door to Peach's chambers. The guards unlocked the doors and opened them, allowing Bowser and Luigi into the foyer. Peach was sitting in a special armchair made to fit someone her size and colored according to her preferences. She looked at Bowser with a face of spite and anger.

"How fare you Princess?" Bowser asked. When Peach did not respond, he asked, "What's wrong, Princess Peach?" Still no response. "What's on your mind? Is the food distasteful, or your bed too hard for your delicate body? Take mine!"

"The food's fine," Peach started, "and so is the bed, but I will never be happy in captivity."

"Captivity?" Bowser asked rhetorically. "You call _this_ captivity? You're practically my honored guest!

"Your father pushed for war after Mario's death. To keep him at bay, you were captured as a hostage. That is not how you live here, though! You live like the Princess you are; almost all I have is at your service; you can visit any part of Koopva on a whim, you live in the world's best-defended city; you live a wonderful life here; you live like me! Admit it: do prisoners normally live like this? Do they?"

Peach did not respond.

"Bwa ha ha ha!" Bowser laughed heartily. "No, Princess—you are no mere prisoner; you are my guest! Listen, my friend, believe me: I admire your determination. I am not your enemy, but your host, and you my guest. So just tell me what ails you.

"If you want, ride in any car, any carriage. Take any unoccupied room in the palace as your own. Go ahead and take my axe, the one from King Edward's War! Many Mushroomers have met their end on its blade. In many a bloody battle, my axe has evoked mortal terror.

"Everyone here, Princess, is loyal to me; friend and foe alike respect me. I fear no person. All foes fear me, but you—you did not fear me, you did not beg for mercy. Ah, if only the Mushroom and Koopa Kingdoms could live together in peace. You could do that, Princess; we Koopas are more than willing to make peace—all we need is the Mushroom Kingdom's dedication to the same cause."

Bowser thought for a moment, looking at Peach's face. "Would you like a Scratch from the Koopyevan Valley? Perhaps one all the way from Sarasaland? If you want the company of one, just say the word; I'll bring in as many as you want! Countless Scratches live here with beautiful faces and coats you have probably never even seen pictures of!"

Peach did not respond.

"Why are you silent?" Bowser asked. "If you want, take any of them!"

"You there!" he said to a guard. "Bring in a Scratch! I'm sure our silent Princess will enjoy the company of someone other than us!"

The guard ran off to fetch a Scratch. Peach got up from her chair and approached Bowser.

"Thank you, King Bowser, for your hospitality," she said. "However, I'm sure you would not enjoy captivity."

"You still insist that you are a captive!" Bowser said, laughing. "Well, please don't get held back by the limits here; enjoy the freedom I have given you. There's plenty to see in Koopagrad—and Koopva itself."

"Thank you. If it's all right, though, I'll stay in here for now."

"Of course. Would you like me to leave?"

"Please do. But I want Luigi to stay."

Bowser shrugged and walked out, having the doors closed behind him. Peach motioned for Luigi to sit down, which he did.

"Why did you betray us?" she asked without hesitation. "You were one of my father's most trusted allies."

"Mario and I were his tools, not his allies," Luigi corrected. "Surely King Bowser has told you why he has captured you so many times."

"He says it's to keep my father from starting a war."

"Correct. I think the anti-Koopa sentiment in the Mushroom Kingdom is quite clear to an outsider."

"Koopa Kingdom troops killed—"

"Mario died of frostbite. Lieutenant Mushzek said so herself."

"Mushzek is a traitor who ran off to the Koopa Kingdom."

"And the Starshade Brothers?"

"They say it was the Koopa Army, under the command of the traitor, General White."

"They are lying. They saw what happened when I revealed the truth, so they played along to avoid getting branded as traitors."

"The truth is that Mario was killed by Koopa troops, and I'll never forgive the Koopas for that."

"It appears I cannot convince you, so there is no point in continuing to argue," Luigi said.

"How could you side with a nation that has plotted against the Mushroom Kingdom so many times?"

"They say the victor writes the history, but that is not entirely true. Have you ever heard of the Koopa Purge?"

"It's just some lie the Koopas made up to gain sympathy and overwhelm the Mushroom Kingdom." Peach's cheeks were turning red, a vein showed up over each eye.

"I'm sorry," Luigi said. "Perhaps I should leave."

"I'm not done with you. The Koopas were plotting to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom from her very founding! I'm glad my father's been building up his armies!"

Peach realized that she had just let something important slip. The red drained from her cheeks almost instantly.

"If King Bowser truly wanted to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom, even the Stars would not be able to stop him. It is only the fact that you are a hostage that prevents open war from breaking out. Bowser has over one hundred million people to protect; a war is something he would never want. If King Jacob is truly preparing for open war, though, it is time the Koopas prepare, as well."

"We will only invade if you attack first," Peach said. Luigi was not a Ztar wizard, but he could tell that Peach was lying.

"You mean like in 1839 when King Edward sent hordes of troops north and massacred thousands of innocent civilians that had not seen Koopa troops in years?"

Luigi did not wait for a response; Peach was beyond help, another mindless Mushroomer convinced that the Koopas were evil. He started to leave.

"I said I wasn't done with you!" Peach cried.

"I am done trying to convince you of something you will not believe."

Luigi walked out. Peach's capture was literally the only thing holding back the Mushroom Kingdom from war. If she were to escape to the Mushroom Kingdom, the Star Continent would see a repeat of King Edward's War, a war in which the Mushroomers held the same beliefs as they did now.

Luigi headed over to Bowser's part of the Royal Palace. Bowser Jr., now almost fifteen and nearly three times as tall as Luigi, was sitting down in an armchair with three Scratches on his lap.

"Do you know where your father is?" Luigi asked the Prince.

"No," Junior responded. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Peach let some vital information slip. King Jacob really is preparing for war."

"We know. According to our spies, the Steel Shrooms have resurfaced. A number of Koopsian-Mushroomers have been 'disappearing'. You know the Bob-Ombs at Fahr Outpost? They're all missing. Even ordinary Koopas—not even of Koopsian descent—are disappearing. We know King Jacob's up to something; Peach's capture just keeps him from actually invading. The instant he plucks a Koopsian from Koopsian soil, though, he'll be looking down the barrel of a Royal Cannon."

"Why haven't you told me anything?"

"We're keeping the information from the people; releasing it would just make them push for war, which is something we would never want. King Jacob released a tiny bit of Anti-Koopa propaganda and it put the whole Mushroom Kingdom up in arms. We'll only release this information to the people if war truly does become inevitable. Right now, though, my father thinks we can still maintain peace."

"I see. I'll keep that information secret, but I do think we need to work on diplomacy."

"My father and a few Koopayars met with King Jacob in secret just a week ago, but to no avail; Jacob is using Peach's capture against us; if we release her, he'll invade; if we don't release her, he'll keep abducting Koopsians; killing her would also result in war, so we also can't do that. We're prepared for the worst, though; many nations have imposed diplomatic and economic sanctions on the Mushroom Kingdom for her recent actions. In addition, King Boo of the Boo Kingdom has pledged the Boo Kingdom's economic, diplomatic, and military support of the Koopa Kingdom should war break out. If King Jacob starts a war, he will not win. We know that, and it is a fair assumption that he does, too."

Luigi pondered that. His actions had only prolonged the tension between the two Kingdoms. That was to be expected though; the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom was a hostage (even if she was being treated wonderfully). This was why Luigi was not interested in becoming a political leader—bad diplomacy could spell disaster.

* * *

Author's Notes: I'm hoping this story doesn't end up giving away too much in my other major Koopa Kingdom story. Also, King Bowser's monologue to Peach was a reference to an aria from _Knyaz' Igor'_. Of course, what Konchak offered to Igor in the end of his aria was not a cat. Bowser doesn't strike me as much of a Konchak, though, so I changed a bit to make it more Bowser-like. Also, more information will come out about the Steel Shrooms as the story progresses, so don't ask what they are; just be patient. 


	3. Chapter 3: Luigi's First Mission

**Chapter 3—Luigi's First Mission  
**

The Royal Library had proven to be a wizard's dream; spellbooks of all sorts rested there—even Ztar spellbooks. Luigi was only a novice, but he had taken a greater interest in magic than his brother. For some reason, though, many of the magicians and wizards studying there were looking at him. Perhaps they had just never seen a human before. After all, few in the world were still alive.

"Master Luigi," a Magikoopa called quietly. Luigi turned to see Kamek. "May I take a look at your hand?"

"Why?" Luigi asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, but…" Kamek's eyes widened at the sight of the mark on the back: a bolt of blue electricity. "No doubt about it…"

"Eh?"

"This mark… you're the… the…"

"The what?"

"The Thunder Master."

Luigi felt his own eyes widen. There had to be some mistake; he was barely skilled enough to cast even a mid-level spell!

"Go to Tundragrad in Iced Land," Kamek said. "There, go to the Central Magnamandir and show the guards your hand."

"What? Why?"

"A Master is something King Bowser has wanted in the Koopa Kingdom for a long time. All of the other Masters are unknown, so your arrival in the Koopa Kingdom is a stroke of fabulous luck!"

"So why do you want me to go to Iced Land?"

"The Grand Thunder Palace is in Iced Land, and its location is only known by the Cathodahmins at the Central Magnamandir. Your training as the Thunder Master will be very important; it is vital that you master Thunderhand!"

"Why is it so important?"

"Do you know how long it has been since the last Star Master actually learned Star Magic?"

"No."

"Over five hundred years, and the most recent Ztar Master who actually learned Ztar Magic died almost a millennium ago. Masters often inherit their powers without knowing about them, meaning that they might waste them out of ignorance."

"Why do I need to master Thunderhand, though?"

"If war breaks out, you will most likely take to the field. If you want to survive, you will need as much help as you can get, and only one Master in recorded history has actually lost a fair duel."

"I don't think I'd be able to handle that kind of power," Luigi said, walking away.

"Your mother did."

Luigi stopped.

"My mother was a Master?"

"Your mother was the last Thunder Master, and she died in 1841, a few weeks after King Edward died. She was a lethal force in battle and was one of the people who helped Edward gain control over the entire Mushroom Kingdom. When you and Mario were born, though, she stopped fighting so she could raise the two of you. King Edward was outraged and sent your father on a campaign deep into the Boo Kingdom, eventually reaching the Koopa Kingdom and dying in battle. By that time, though, your mother had died, and both you and your brother were adopted by a family of Toads."

"I remember that… And you say my mother was the last Thunder Master?"

"Yes. She never faced Koopa troops, but many refugees who now live here had witnessed how powerful she was. Even with all that power, though, she was kind and would not harm civilians, no matter how much Edward threatened her. You remind me of her, actually."

Luigi did not respond, but he was paying the utmost attention to Kamek.

"You don't have your father's aggressive technique; I know that from facing you in the past. Your mother fought out of duty alone, just like you. I've seen how much you hate violence. Your father also hated war, but he was far more willing to fight and was quite clearly fooled by King Edward's lies about Koopas."

"What do you mean?"

"I do not feel like telling you the full extent; I don't have the heart for it. Regardless, you still have your mission. Perhaps you will find out more in Iced Land."

Luigi did not like that; he knew there was something Kamek was not telling him, but he knew there was nothing he could do to find out other than going to Iced Land. The information was clearly important; otherwise there would be no need for it to be kept from him. Still he did not like the idea of having to go to Iced Land just to have a question answered. Iced Land was similar to the Koopa Kingdom, so it would be rather easy to adjust. In fact, Iced Land was once a Koopa Kingdom territory that was given independence by Aleksandr the Wise.

When Luigi had left the library, Ludwig stopped him. In 1872, he was only about four meters tall, which was short for a Royal Koopa. However, he was now slightly taller than Bowser himself, at least from where Luigi was standing.

"Kamek told me where you're going," he said.

"You mean Iced Land?"

"Yes. I should warn you, the King is not overly tolerant of Koopsians."

"Why?"

"He was put in power by the Mushroom Kingdom. In reality, he's just a puppet leader who'll do whatever King Jacob wants. Your best bet is to avoid making yourself known there."

"How can I do that? It's not as if I can just blend in; I'm world-famous; they'll spot me in an instant."

"You use a special cap: the Duplighost Cap."

Ludwig took a white hat out of his pocket and handed it to Luigi.

"Did Peach ever mention the Sneaky Parasol?" Ludwig asked.

"Yes; she said it allows the user to take the form of whoever the user points the parasol at."

"The Duplighost Cap does you one better: it can combine forms so that you won't be an exact replica. In addition, everything is used—voice, sight, smell—everything. It takes the information from the DNA itself rather than just the target's appearance. You should get some training with it first; it's far more advanced than the caps found in Mushroom Castle; this one actually requires a brain to use."

"So I can just use this to blend in."

"Exactly. There are some catches to the hat that you need to master, though. First, you have to visualize clothes for whoever you imitate, or you'll transform completely naked."

"That would definitely stand out in a cold place like Iced Land."

Ludwig laughed. "Second, the hat requires FP to use and drains them at a steady rate. Once you run out of FP, you're forced into your original form."

"Then I guess I should equip as many FP Plus badges as possible."

"Why use those silly things? We've got something better: FP Bands, armbands that each can store up to 1,000 extra FP—"

"One thousand?!"

"Yes—one thousand. Of course, you have to pour your own FP in to recharge them. They're basically FP banks. Anyway, you need to consciously decide to transform; simply putting on the hat won't do anything. Finally, you need to consciously to absorb the form of someone or combine multiple forms. One last thing: experts in Ztar Magic can read minds, meaning they can see through your disguise."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Also, the people will probably not trust you; you were their enemy when we took the Wands of the East."

"I thought we were helping the people."

"You helped the King, but not the people. The Mushroom Kingdom puppet, King Mykola, is hated by those who were alive during the coup. In 1867, Iced Land's Premier, Vladimir Ivashkoop, was overthrown by Steel Shrooms under the command of now-King Mykola. Mykola took over the Parliament and quickly silenced all opponents. Most of the people still hate him, and since you helped him regain power in 1871, they hate you and your brother, too."

"So when you took the wands…"

"Don't take my word for it; I've got a very biased view of world history. Your best bet for an unbiased record is the World Library on Shy Guy Island."

"Why there?"

"Luigi, there are two non-holy races that seem to hold a more important tie to the world than any others: the Boos and the Shy Guys. The Boos are the bridge between the mortal world and the ghost world. As for the Shy Guys, they are charged with maintaining the world's balance."

"A fine job they've done," Luigi said sarcastically.

"You'd be amazed at how much they've done. They've kept detailed records of everything that goes on in the world; they possess information on nearly anything you want to know."

"Really?"

"I'm pretty biased when it comes to politics, which is why I'll probably not inherit the throne. However, you can trust the Shy Guys."

"At least you know about your bias."

"True enough. Anyway, you should go get more details for your mission."

"Will do."

Reaching Tundragrad was easy enough; the Koopas just gave Luigi a fake identity to go with the body he took the form of. In fact, he was amazed at how much detail the KKB had put into the fake identity. He was Andrei Mushchenko, a Toad of Iced land and Koopsian heritage who had recently returned home to further his Thunderhand training. He had no official political affiliations, but he had attended a meeting of the Bolshellvik Party while in the Koopa Kingdom. An entire family tree had been created in case that was investigated. Luigi was quite glad he had been involved in acting while in high school and college. If anything, he knew how to play a part.

"Andrei Mushchenko," a Cathodahmin called. He continued in what must have been Frostrainian.

"Are you from the Central Magnamandir?" Luigi asked, pulling off a very believable Koopsian accent.

"Ah, English. Forgive me. And yes, I am from the Central Magnamandir."

"I also know what you are really here for," the Cathodahmin added telepathically, "Master Luigi. Do not speak; I can just listen mentally to what you want to say."

"Understood," Luigi said in his mind.

The Magnamandir was all too easy to reach, giving Luigi just cause to believe he was being led into a trap.

"Peace, Master Luigi," the Cathodahmin said telepathically. "One thing King Mykola did not crush is our religion. As much as King Jacob wants Iced Land to be Starist, he knows quite well that all the countries combined could not change us. Your soul is the one part of you that outsiders cannot force to change. It is that philosophy that has made the Thunderist religion so headstrong in the face of conversion. We do not convert others, and they try—failing, of course—to convert us."

"I have read that Thunderhand revolves around a strong grip on your intentions. While certainly a form of Physical Magic, Thunderhand still requires some mental strength."

"Of course. Weapons are for strong people, but magic is for smart people. Now, if you will sit here…" The Cathodahmin motioned to a pedestal marked quite ornately with electrical patterns. Luigi obeyed, not knowing what else to do. "Only a Master can actually use this warp; it will take you to the Grand Thunder Palace. However, you need to leave your disguise first."

"Very well."

Luigi removed the Duplighost Cap and instantly saw the marks on his hands glow. The image of the Central Magnamandir began to swirl and warp, changing from three dimensions to some immense number that Luigi could only guess at. Slowly, though, the dimensions decreased, bringing a new image into place: the Grand Thunder Palace. A blue Boo was floating before him.

"Luigi, I presume," the Boo said. Luigi shivered, partially from the cold, partially from his natural fear of ghosts. "No need to fear me; you must be here to train in Thunderhand."

"K-K-Kamek s-sent me," Luigi stuttered.

"From the Koopa Kingdom?"

"Y-Yes."

"I see… If that is the case, perhaps it is not for Thunderhand that you were sent here."

"Eh?"

"Masters possess a special ability, one that is only shared by Boos. It is also the reason why a Boo cannot be a Master. As the Thunder Master, you are able to travel between the mortal world and the ghost world."

"How is that important, though?"

"They say the dead keep their secrets, but some had secrets they never had a chance to reveal. Many important people died with the intent to do more."

"Well, I don't like the idea of going to a world full of ghosts."

"There are ghosts here, too. This ability is important; it allows you to get help when no one alive may be able to offer it. I serve the Thunder Spirit, so I know what has been occurring in the West. King Jacob desires to start a war, just like King Edward."

"That's true. By the way, Kamek said I might be able to learn something about my father."

"He is in the ghost world, as are your mother and brother. People in the ghost world spend one hundred years as ghosts unless they are killed early in that world. Once they die as ghosts, their soul is split into multiple parts and distributed among the most recently born. Boos do not give birth, though, so there is no risk of overpopulation that requires our death."

"So if I go to the ghost world, I'll be able to see my family?"

"You will see your family, and many other people."

"Then let's go."

"I should give you some warnings, though: If you are killed in the ghost world, your body will be nothing more than a body, and will not even be conscious. Also, if your body is killed while you are in the ghost world, you will be no different from the ghosts. Finally, while you are in ghost world, you will not know what is happening to your body in the mortal world, which is why I am here: to guard your body and call you back if necessary."

Luigi gave that some thought. With no way to know what is going on in the mortal world, he would be taking a huge risk by going to the ghost world. What if the Boo betrayed him and killed his body? What if an old enemy in the ghost world attacked and killed him? What if his family hated him, now that he was serving the Koopas?

It was then that another important thought arose: why did Kamek want him to go to the ghost world in the first place? Was there an important Koopa leader to be spoken to? A dead General? A former King or Queen? Luigi's trip to the ghost world had some meaning, and he wanted to know what it was.

* * *

Author's Notes: As I was writing the stuff for the Masters' abilities, I noticed a remarkable similarity to a certain television show. Regardless, let me assure you that I had plans for giving the Masters such skills before that show was even an idea. Anyway, that aside, I think a good number of you cna guess who Luigi is supposed to talk to, considering one of my other stories. 


	4. Chapter 4: A History Lesson

**Chapter 4—A History Lesson**

Luigi looked at the short woman around his age and the skinny Koopa whose hair was longer than Luigi was tall. It was disturbing that his mother's ghost was his age, but since she had died at that age, it did make sense—but that did not make it any less disturbing. What he had been told about his parents seemed to argue completely against what he saw before his eyes. His mother was a devoted servant of the Mushroom Kingdom, yet there she was standing next to Yekaterina, Bowser's wife.

"I see you are confused, Master Luigi," Yekaterina said. Luigi was shocked by that, as well; her Koopsian accent was nonexistent! "Felipa, shall you tell him why you are here, or shall I?"

"I will," Felipa said. "Luigi… do you know what became of your father?"

"No," Luigi said.

"His army was stopped at Dudinkoopa. In fact, it was by Queen Yekaterina's hand that he fell."

"Then why are you…?"

"Because I am not a servant of the Mushroom Kingdom, nor am I an enemy of the Koopa Kingdom. When your father died, he was far from the man I had married. I saw that when I last spoke to him—almost thirty years ago."

"Thirty years… so you argued?"

"It was more than an argument. Your father never received word of King Edward's death, so he was shocked to see the King in the ghost world with him. The King had no idea how he had died, but he suspected a heart attack. When your father found me, though, I told him everything, as I will now tell you.

"After the most recent offensive into the Koopa Kingdom, the Mushroom Army began to lose morale as more and more young Toads were sent to their deaths. Similarly, the people began to resent King Edward, but none dared to speak up. One day, a family of Toads came to my home and begged for shelter. They had been accused of conspiring against the King—a family of homeless beggars! I promised them that I would harbor them and help them escape. That family shared numerous stories with me of how all their friends had fled the Kingdom for fear that they would get killed. After almost a year, I was invited to a dinner party at Mushroom Castle to celebrate Lord Toadsworth's recent victories in the Koopa Kingdom.

"It was at that party that I struck a blow for the world. As the Thunder Master, it was my duty to serve not one country, but the whole world. I believed that King Edward was a threat to the world. When he and I were alone, he ordered me to kiss his hand. With that kiss, I poured electricity into his body, stopping his heart almost instantly. Two weeks later, the Steel Shrooms came to my house and killed me and the family I was sheltering. I had done all I could to keep myself from being revealed, but someone must have found me out. I learned later that you and Mario had been adopted by the Muscaria family, a noble family that was mindlessly devoted to the Kingdom."

"That would explain why we met Princess Peach so easily," Luigi said.

"Yes, and I recently learned that Mario died trying to attack the Koopa Kingdom, just like your father. It would be fairer to say that he was more so Mario Muscaria than Mario Star."

Luigi looked down. "After the war ended, things in the Mushroom Kingdom were wonderful. We eventually did fight for the Mushroom Kingdom, but my eyes were opened when Mario's closed. One of the survivors of the mission told me how Mario had died, yet King Jacob insisted that it was a Koopa Kingdom battalion."

"One of Mario's comrades died a few days later and told him what had happened," Felipa said. "Others have kept us up to date on the conditions."

"It appears that another war is coming," Yekaterina said. "Tell Bowser that he should plan defensively until the Mushroom Army tires out. Invading the Mushroom Kingdom will be far easier if the enemy army is exhausted."

"If it comes to war," Luigi said.

"It will; I have no doubts. If the Steel Shrooms have reappeared in the Mushroom Kingdom, then there will be a war. Luigi, you must use your knowledge of the Mushroom Kingdom to your advantage. However, as the Thunder Master, you must act not on the basis of your hatred of the Mushroom Kingdom nor on your gratefulness to the Koopa Kingdom. Rather, you must act by what you believe will better serve the world. If that turns out to be fighting the Koopas, you must do so. If it turns out to be fighting the Mushroomers, you must do so. If it turns out to be doing nothing, you must do so. Your duty is to no person or country but to the world. That is the fate of a Master."

"I understand."

"Do not say that; a true understanding of a Master's duty cannot be achieved in a second. Before you were betrayed by the Mushroom Kingdom, you would most likely have done anything King Jacob wanted. In fact, I have been told that you have even taken orders from Grand Duke Toadsworth Phalloides."

"Toadsworth _Phalloides_?"

"The Phalloides family is responsible for the Toadstool Dynasty's rise to power and also responsible for many of the crimes that the Mushroom Kingdom has committed. Toadsworth would most likely be an old man by now, but his cap is the same: off-white with brown spots. When I was alive, he was just a Lord, but he apparently rose to the third highest rank in the Mushroom government. Only the King and Princess are higher. However, the Phalloides know far more about the inner workings of their country. One could even say that the Phalloides family is more in control that the Toadstool family."

"Perhaps that could be used against the Mushroom Kingdom…"

"That would be unwise. The Phalloides would be even more merciless to Koopas. Also, Toadsworth is incredibly clever and eventually retreated in the first war just because he was too greatly overpowered. Toad Town was his only defeat that did not stem from inferior power. With the same amount of power as his enemy while invading, though, Toadsworth would have easily reached Koopva. The Koopa Kingdom has superior numbers, superior technology, and superior military power. Use superior tactics in conjunction with those and we are invincible."

"What else should I know?"

"The Mushroom Kingdom has only the Beanbean Kingdom as an ally on the Star Continent and few voluntary allies elsewhere. The best course of action would be to get the Thunder Continent nations to rebel against their Mushroom leaders. With no naval powers as allies, naval supremacy would be easy, thus cutting off much of the Mushroom Kingdom's trade. As long as Shysia and the Sarasaland Union side with you or remain neutral, your naval power will be unmatched, allowing offensives from the sea to be much easier. Why, you could lay siege to Toad Town in a matter of months. Also, with no sea-based trade, the Mushroom Kingdom will attempt to seize major resource piles in the Koopa Kingdom that are mostly untapped. However, many of those resources are in mountainous regions, where booby traps can easily be set. The troops will be ambushed in the mountains by avalanches and methane explosions. If the enemy offensives are confined to the mountains, a Koopsian victory is inevitable.

"As for the Koopyevan Valley, that region should be evacuated immediately. The place has few resources, but there is an immense concentration of people living there. Mounting a proper defense there will depend not on terrain tactics but on military might. The Mushroom Army will most likely advance very quickly through the valley even with a good defense, so there will need to be many troops concentrated there. Air power will be invaluable there, so an air battle will be just as common as a land battle. Use the support of our missile bases as much as possible."

"The Koopa Kingdom has nuclear weapons?" Luigi asked, stunned.

"I was not referring to those missiles. The Shysian War Convention forbids nuclear weapons. The only nuclear weapons ever used were also the last nuclear weapons ever used."

"Of course… the atomic bombings of Hiryoshima and Eggasaki."

"While Governor Yoshi Alioramus has close ties to the Mushroom Kingdom, the Dino Union has to this day never forgiven the Mushroom Kingdom for her brutal assault during King Edward's War. Because of the Union's temporary ties to the Koopa Kingdom, Lord Toadsworth was able to convince King Edward to use the place as a testing ground for new Mushroom weapons. It was only when the Shy Guys interfered that King Edward stopped the destruction."

"Luigi, you can trust Yeakterina," Felipa said. "It was under her command that the Koopa Kingdom defeated the Mushroom Kingdom the first time."

"I see," Luigi said. "I'll convey the plan to King Bowser."

"Also tell Bowser that I've remained loyal to him even as a ghost," Yekaterina said.

"I wish I was certain he was the same. Bowser was in denial for almost thirteen years before he accepted your death. During that time, Princess Peach was often kidnapped to keep the Mushroom Kingdom from going to war again. However, she was rescued time and again. After 1881, though, he has spoken very fondly of you. He actually said he would cut short his own time as a ghost just so he wouldn't have to suffer without you again. I don't know if King Boo will allow that, but we hope he will."

"Did he try to marry anyone?"

"It depends on who you ask. From the Mushroom side of the story, he was obsessed with Peach and was trying to force her to marry him. From the Koopa side, Bowser was acting only to prevent open war and never made any advances. Considering how much Mushroom historians stretch the truth, I would see fit to believe the Koopa side. He said to me that he still loves you, no matter what may afflict him."

"Luigi, what about your brother? Have you spoken with him?"

"No, I haven't; I haven't the slightest idea where he is."

"He is in Toad Town with your father. You should speak with him, even if it ends badly."

"I will. I beg your leave, Queen Yekaterina."

"You have it."

Luigi walked out of the hall and to the airship that had brought him to the Kooparemlin. Mario had hardly been dead a year. Luigi wondered how his brother would react to the past year without him.

* * *

Author's Notes: Yes, I know the real-world nations I used for the Koopa Kingdom and Dino Union are not on the best terms at the moment. However, I have my reasons for the way this is playing out. Some will be revealed immediately, but others will appear much later. 


	5. Chapter 5: The Dangers of Mastery

**Chapter 5—The Dangers of Mastery**

During the airship's trip to Toad Town, a familiar figure appeared before Luigi. It was none other than The Great Thunderhand himself. The mighty spirit looked at Luigi with an odd expression of expectation. At the same time, though, his body language suggested fear.

"Luigi," the spirit said.

"What is it?" Luigi asked, knowing from the last time they met that it was unwise to ignore Thunderhand.

"Did your mother tell you what it means to be a Master?"

"She said that my duty is to the world."

"Did she say anything about your father's fate in this world?"

"Is there something different about him here?"

"Yes," Thunderhand said. "He betrayed his duties as Fire Master, and so he has been punished. In this world, he is but a head—"

"A HEAD?!"

"Yes, a head—not moving, simply watching ghosts come and go as he waits for the next Fire Master to accept his or her destiny. Your father blindly served the Mushroom Kingdom until his death. Thanks to my over-sympathetic brother, though, Cristoforo's soul was not destroyed the way it should have been."

"Destroyed?"

"If a Master betrays his or her duties, he or she does not continue living in the ghost world, but instead has his or her soul transformed into energy for the next Master. My brother was unwilling to destroy your father as his duty commanded, though. Cristoforo was lucky to have such a softie as his Master spirit.

"If you betray your duties, though, I will be merciless. I am not known for my sympathy, nor will I ever be. Unless you redeem yourself before death the way your mother did, you will not continue to the ghost world."

"I have a question: Who is the next Fire Master?"

"I do not know if my brother has chosen one; after all, the intended Fire Master died just a year ago."

"Who was that?"

"Must you ask, Luigi? He was your brother. Since he never actually learned of his destiny, though, he was not subject to the punishment he could have had waiting."

"So if I die…"

"Until you have mastered the Fission spell, you are not ready for the title of Thunder Master. You need to train. I can sense that you lack the power necessary to use such a spell right now. You need a place to master Thunderhand where you may improve yourself quickly.

Firebrand and I, as well as the Stars and Ztars, see a horrible war in the future, one that will engulf the entire world in violence. Your Mastery will be needed before the worst of the war begins. Already, nations are gathering their armies, and I want you to join them. The Union of Mushroom Capitalist Republics is on the brink of a civil war. Listen to your past and the pasts of others. The war will start a chain reaction. Every country will be forced to acknowledge the bloodbath that will ravage two continents and eventually engulf the world in fire and bones. For the time being, you must choose a side. Choose wisely, because neither one is the right side, and neither one is the wrong side. Serve the world above all else, and when you are ready to accept your duties as Thunder Master, I will seek you out."

Before Luigi could respond or ask another question, the spirit vanished, leaving him to pace around aboard the ship and contemplate every last possibility. The Mushroom Kingdom had abandoned him, so it would probably make more sense to aid the rebels. However, the rebels might be just as bad.

Mushroom Castle loomed ahead, but with a much more ominous feeling about it than before. Luigi felt a surge of pain enter his mind, pain from countless people. He saw the world grow blurry. Sights of countless torments flashed through him. He felt his limbs stretched beyond imagination on the rack as a man with long blond hair watched from a throne. A Toad approached Luigi, holding several nails in one hand. The image then switched to one of a horde of Toads in gold armor chasing him and shooting at him. A vision of a vicious battle followed. He saw himself and Mario crushing several Goombas beneath their feet. The Luigi from the vision then spied Luigi and jumped toward him. A new vision of Mario appeared. Mario shot a stream of water from a device on his back. Luigi felt himself splitting into two. Another shot struck him, making him split yet again.

Luigi woke up in a cold sweat from his tortures, the foul sight of Mushroom Castle filling him with dread as the airship landed. Toads in gold armor stood guard, their rifles standing erect like lances. Luigi felt himself quivering as he approached the guards. One of them looked at him with a fierce glare that made that of King Boo seem mild.

"What business have you here?" the guard asked in an almost soulless voice. Luigi could barely tell that it was the voice of a Toadette.

"I-I'm the Th-Th-Th-Thunder Master-r," Luigi said, his shaking jaw making it difficult to speak coherently. "I w-would l-l-l-l-like to s-s-s-sp-s-speak with K-K-K-King Edw-w-w-w-ward."

"Your proof?"

Luigi held up his hand to indicate the glowing Thunderhand symbol. The guards stepped aside and escorted Luigi in. While he walked, Luigi tried to calm himself. He focused his mind on being at the bow of a ship as it sped across the waves. Up… Down… Up… Down… A memory of himself almost getting thrown overboard after topping a huge wave aboard a whale-watching boat surfaced. Thinking back on it, he chuckled.

When the image left him, Luigi found himself in an immense room decorated from wall to wall with red and gold. Sitting at the end of the room was the same long-haired man from Luigi's vision. To one side was a rather corpulent lady dressed very elegantly. To the other side was Mario, holding his father's head in his hands.

"Luigi!" Mario shouted in glee. He started to run toward him, but then stopped in his tracks. "Wait. If you're here, then…?"

"I'm not dead, bro," Luigi said. "I'm the new Thunder Master. I came here to speak with you and our father. Mario, you're not in the glorious land you think you're in."

"What? What do you mean?"

"You know how you died, right?"

"Frostbite. Is there something wrong?"

"King Jacob has kept the true cause of your death a secret. He said that you were ambushed and killed by Koopsian assassins."

"What? We didn't see a single soldier during that expedition!"

"If news got out that you had died on a wild Goonie chase, the Mushroom Kingdom would be up in arms. Marina told me what happened. The Starshade Brothers, though, reinforced the King's word. Even Peach believes the lie."

"Bah!" the man on the throne barked. "And how should we know that you are telling the truth? Mario lost consciousness days before he came here. He could have easily fallen at the hands of Koopsian troops during that time!"

"If that had happened, the entire team would have been annihilated," Luigi said. "I do not see the Starshade Brothers here, so it is obvious that the Koopsians did not find them."

"Wait!" Mario interrupted. "Did you say Peach believes I was ambushed?"

"Yes," Luigi said. "The Starshade Brothers and King Jacob are the only ones still in the Mushroom Kingdom who know and believe the truth."

"What about Marina?"

"When she started telling the truth, she was branded as a Koopa sympathizer and fled. I, too, was branded as a Koopa sympathizer when I spoke out. As a result, I had to flee. While I wandered through Bean Valley, an odd Goomba found me and led me north to safety."

"NORTH?!" the man on the throne yelled in shock. "What safety could you possibly find in the Koopa Kingdom?!"

"More safety than the poor fellow you put on the rack!" Luigi shouted back. Luigi, seeing himself losing his temper, took a deep breath and let it out, regaining his composure. "I went to the Koopa Kingdom and was welcomed with open arms. Even though I had killed so many of their people, the Koopsians accepted me the way they accepted the countless Mushroomers who fled from King Edward's voracious tyranny."

"SEDITION! HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE KING OF THE MUSHROOM KINGDOM?!"

"If the truth is seditious, then your only praises are false."

"HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHO YOU ARE SPEAKING TO?!"

"King Edward the Fierce, the man whose lust for power led to the death of both himself and Fire Master Cristoforo."

Edward calmed himself, got up from his throne and walked up to Luigi, allowing him a better look at the man. He did not look like an evil person when he was this calm. In fact, he actually looked rather handsome, his long hair reaching down to his waist just like Peach, his light blue eyes giving off a benevolent feeling of peace. His face actually looked like a male version of that of his great-granddaughter.

"Tell me, Thunder Master Luigi," the King started, "how did my own lust for power kill me?"

"My mother, Thunder Master Felipa, learned of the countless people you had been trying to kill. A family of beggars came to her house asking for shelter from you. You and your Steel Shrooms had grown corrupt. It is a Master's duty to fight corruption and prevent the balance of power from shattering. It was my mother's duty to rid the world of tyranny. The poor family that my mother harbored was a victim of tyranny. Thus, my mother did her duty and killed you. Had you not abused your power so, you would not be in the ghost world so soon."

"Luigi," Mario interrupted, "How is Peach?"

"She's doing fine," Luigi answered. "In order to prevent a war, she has been captured and is living a rather luxurious life in Koopagrad. I'm sorry that it had to come to this, but after your death, the Mushroom Kingdom was clearly preparing for war, no matter what the Koopa Kingdom did to try to stop it. As a last resort, I led a secret expedition through the warp pipes of the Mushroom Kingdom and broke into the castle. Peach was kidnapped easily."

"Luigi…" Mario hesitated. "You…"

"TRAITOR!" Edward yelled. "IS THIS HOW YOU THANK THE KINGDOM THAT RAISED YOU?!"

"This Kingdom raised me to be her tool," Luigi said. "I am no ordinary Mushroomer, though. I am the Thunder Master, and my duty extends beyond the borders of any country. If the Mushroom Kingdom is a threat to the world's balance of power, then I will fight her."

"Bah! You're just like your traitorous mother!"

"Father, that's enough," the corpulent lady near the throne said. "Master Luigi is right. You tried to use people as tools, so much so that you angered the deities themselves. Even the Stars opposed your war. You desired power so much that you lost sight of your true duty—the people. I spent more than half of my reign cleaning up the mess you made. I even sent people to the Koopa Kingdom to search for similarities between the Koopsians and the Mushroomers. They were far more alike than you wanted to think. In fact, after hearing what my envoys had to say, I went to the Koopa Kingdom myself to strengthen diplomatic ties to her. Seeing the two Kingdoms reach the brink of war after all I did to make peace is heartbreaking."

"Why was I never taught about those efforts?" Mario asked.

"Probably because my son didn't want you to learn about them. He made his mark through his enemies; any past friendship with them had to be covered up. Similarly, the countless people my father tortured are kept a secret because he wanted to be viewed as a benevolent King."

Mario set Cristoforo's head down on the floor. "I'm done here," he said. "If the Kingdom that raised me is going to lie to me even beyond the grave, then I'm going with Luigi."

"You're dead, Mario," Cristoforo said. "There's only so far you can go."

"I know. I'm going to the Koopa Kingdom. Do you want to come with me, Father?"

"I'm fine here. I'm being punished, and I'm intent on feeling every last bit of that punishment."

"Suit yourself. I guess this is good-bye, then."

"So long, Father," Luigi said. "I have my duty to do."

Luigi then left, Mario following.

* * *

Aboard the airship, Mario approached Luigi, a curious look in his eyes.

"Luigi, what's the Koopa Kingdom like?" he asked.

"Fabulous," Luigi responded. "You need not worry about Peach; King Bowser won't harm her. In fact, in the ghost Koopa Kingdom, King Bowser's wife rules. Our own mother is also there. Ghost or mortal, I think you'll like your time in the Koopa Kingdom. I sure have."

Mario walked off, leaving Luigi alone with his thoughts again. He never realized how vicious he had been in the past. Seeing himself in battle through the eyes of a victim said very much about how mindlessly he served the Mushroom Kingdom in the past. As a Mushroomer, he had no idea who he was really fighting. As the Thunder Master, though, he knew perfectly well who and what he was up against.


	6. Chapter 6: Black Lord Ivan

**Chapter 6—Black Lord Ivan**

The past week had seemed a blur to Luigi. Almost immediately after leaving the ghost world, he was sent to find a boat to take him to the Fire Continent, traveled stealthily through the Central Sea, and traversed the Renaba Mountains—all for this moment: meeting with Black Lord Ivan, leader of the Knights of the Black Star, feared wizard, and brilliant tactician.

The Grand Fire Palace, situated in an intimidating caldera, seemed the ideal place for a hideout; the area was a natural fortress. Luigi was led by the hand into a room in the palace. The first thing that caught Luigi's attention was the person in a black cloak sitting in the middle of the room, facing away from the door—Ivan, most likely. Luigi then noticed that Ivan was sitting on a pedestal surrounded by water—it looked at least five meters deep.

The guards near Luigi walked out. A moment later, the doors to the room closed on their own. Ivan stood up and turned to face Luigi. He was wearing a Shy Guy mask over his face and his body was concealed by traditional Shysian garments, but his body structure looked nothing like that of a normal Shy Guy.

"Sit," Ivan said tersely. The voice was deep and sounded as though the source was somewhat old.

"I-I don't see any—"

Luigi was cut off as his body moved on its own and sat cross-legged on the floor.

"You don't need a chair to sit," Ivan said. A shiver went down Luigi's spine in response to the bitterness in his host's tone. "Hah. At least you're smart enough to fear me." Ivan walked toward Luigi. What he did to traverse the water astounded him: he literally walked on it. "Let me tell you some facts.

"One: I'm in charge. Two: when I give you an order, you will do it. Three: you do not ask me questions unless I ask for questions. Four: your needs are met only when I want them met. Understood?"

"Y… yes," Luigi squeaked.

"Good. Stand."

Luigi stood, this time by his own will.

"You are going to learn a magic sense," Ivan said.

"But what about—"

Luigi's mouth closed without him wanting to.

"You do not ask me questions unless I ask for questions. I did not ask for a question, so you will not ask one. My only objective regarding you for now is teaching you the electric sense. Your needs will be accommodated afterwards."

Luigi's eyes closed on their own.

"Imagine yourself casting a spell, but do not actually cast one. Immerse yourself in the mental state surrounding Thunderhand. Feel the electricity within and around you. Feel where it is, and where it is not."

Ivan paused. Luigi was focusing, but he didn't sense anything.

"Cast a spell," Ivan commanded.

Luigi prepared a basic attack. It was then that he sensed it. Surprised, he stopped.

_What… was that?_

Luigi had no way to explain how he knew it, but he felt a lot of electricity coming toward him. Building off of the years of fighting he had done alongside Mario, Luigi jumped. The electricity missed. However, upon landing, he felt it coming at him again, this time from above. He dove to one side. Again, the electricity missed.

_What are you doing!? What? Why didn't that come out?_

Luigi didn't have time to answer his question, though, as the attack doubled back at him. This time, it split into two parts. He dodged the first one by jumping, then managed to avoid the second one by running. All of a sudden, the electricity seemed to disperse and blend in with the rest of the room.

"Are you going to take my word for it that you have a prominent—though untrained—magic sense?" Ivan asked.

"Eh?" Luigi realized that he could talk again after that little spurt. "What happened?"

"I manipulated some of the water with Thunderhand and attempted to hit you. No… I suppose 'attempted' would be an overstatement. I used more power in that exercise than I would for manipulating water in battle. Were I actually trying to hit you instead of train you, you would be waterlogged right now. You are the third person to whom I've given that test—out of thousands—who has actually avoided getting wet. I imagine your flames will be excellent when we get to Firebrand."

"Uh…"

"When I have finished training you, your magic senses will be so detailed that you will be able to navigate this entire palace with your eyes closed. The full extent of magic is enough to strike fear into entire armies. Whenever the Mushroomers are told that I am personally leading an attack, the desertion rate increa—"

The sound of banging on the doors interrupted Ivan. The doors opened.

"This had better be important," Ivan said to the soldier at the doors.

"Mushroom troops are approaching from the north, My Lord," the soldier replied, saluting.

"Details."

"Mostly infantry—estimated to be around one thousand soldiers. There are some light armored units, as well."

Ivan laughed. "It appears someone was tracking you, Luigi. Good. This allows me to show you just how powerful you will become when I'm done training you. You will follow me."

The room grew distorted, warping and undulating until Luigi could no longer recognize it. Ivan started walking.

"Where…" Luigi started.

"No questions. I said you will follow me."

Slightly annoyed, Luigi followed Ivan. At least he thought he was following Ivan. However, the way things were arranged was weird. He ran forward only to go sideways. He heard Ivan sigh as a line appeared in front of Luigi indicating the right directions.

"Electricity travels in four dimensions," Ivan explained. "The best Thunderhand users can transport themselves through the fourth dimension to bypass three-dimensional barriers. You will learn how to use this technique much later."

Luigi walked along the line, ultimately catching up to Ivan, who was calmly walking through the Jackson Podlock painting that was the fourth dimension, ignoring the odd appearance of it. Considering that he had undoubtedly used the fourth dimension many times, it must not have struck him as odd at this point. After several minutes of walking, Mushroom soldiers started becoming visible.

"Pay them no heed," Ivan said. "They can't see us until we leave this dimension."

A barren section of rock became visible in the distance.

"I know what you're thinking," Ivan said upon noticing the rock. "It's actually very close to the enemy. Because we're traveling in four dimensions, that which is close in three dimensions is sometimes very far away in four, and vice versa."

When they reached the rock, the fourth dimension began to shift, changing appearance, the blotches gradually becoming recognizable figures. When they were back in three dimensions, Luigi noticed that the rock was not a rock, but the edge of a cliff. They were back in the Renaba Mountains, a barren desert mountain range covered not in snow, but dust. The cliff overlooked a mountain pass through which the Mushroomers were traveling.

"I will warp the air around me so that my voice will carry to the entire force," Ivan said. He turned to face the troops. "I give you the option to turn back now. Fire a single shot and you will all perish."

The Mushroomers stopped marching. Luigi couldn't see them perfectly from the distance they were at, but he could see them looking around.

"Sniper!" Ivan yelled. "Lower your gun!"

Luigi heard the crack of the rifle. A bullet stopped directly in front of Ivan's mask.

"Your comrades will curse you in the afterlife for your stupidity."

Ivan shot a single bolt of electricity at a soldier. The soldier was lifted up into the air while still being electrocuted. That soldier was then flung high up into the air, then, all too quickly, the bolt still tethering him moved down and whipped the trooper onto a tank. The tank stopped moving. Luigi realized he was trembling.

A bright purple flame formed in front of Ivan's hands, gradually becoming brighter. Sniper fire pointed at him stopped in midair. The bullets that Ivan had gathered were flung back at the soldiers. Luigi saw a few soldiers collapse.

"Typically, you conceited Mushroomers would have attempted to flee by this point. Your loss."

The flame, which was now brighter than the sun, flared up into a fireball over Ivan's head. An intense jet of fire poured out of the fireball, engulfing the entire battalion. Luigi could feel the heat emanating from the attack. By this time, he was shaking vigorously. When the fireball finally petered out, the flames in the pass dissipated. The sight was astonishing. The soldiers were all gone. Much of the rock within the pass had melted, as had all of the vehicles and equipment.

"Idiots, every one of them," Ivan said. He turned to Luigi. "Tell me, were you ever told back in the Mushroom Kingdom about me? About some demonic sorcerer who possesses the power to destroy entire cities on his own, who spares none and is feared by all, who sinks ships without even touching them, who can predict all assassins and make them fall victim to their own schemes, who brought a dormant volcano to life?"

"N… N… N…"

Ivan scoffed. "It figures. If word reached the commoners of my existence, there would be widespread panic." He paused. "Luigi, when you assume your role as master, promise me this: do not kill Toadsworth Phalloides."

"W-W-W-W-Why?"

"He's _my_ target. Say what you want of such petty concepts as revenge; he will fall by my hand. It is Phalloides who has kept Edward's madness alive. He robbed me of my home, my faith, my lover, and my life. Thus, I will rob him of the life he destroyed so much to improve." He turned to face out toward the pass as the fourth dimension opened again. "Know this, Luigi. You are going to see a darkness in the world that the Mushroom government would sooner keep from you. The only way to keep it from consuming you is to accept it."


End file.
